Understanding
by Zelha
Summary: Something snapped inside him when he saw her fall. RoyAi.


Yeah, I'm expanding my horizons, hehe. This is for Argesh and RapturesRevenge, un.

Somewhat of an AU because I wrote it before reading about their past in the manga, but it complies with the end of the series and the movie. Also, it has an unhealthy dose of angst and fluff, so you've been warned. :P

Many smooches to Catherine for the awesome betaing!

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**Understanding**

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Something snapped inside him when he saw her fall.

It should had been an easy assignment, really, especially for such a seasoned weapons expert like her and a brilliant alchemist like him. Breda, Fuery and Farman were also with them, completing the team he favored and preferred above all others. He wouldn't have anyone else with him.

But they didn't expect two alchemists on a rampage, leading an army of chimeras.

The fight had been vicious, to say the least. Flames rose up to touch the nocturne skies as he commanded the fiery waves in a circle around his team as well as he dealt with the rogue alchemists. One, a male, had fallen, and the other suddenly charged in a fit of madness for the uniformed Colonel. It had happened so fast, that he just didn't see the circle he was standing on. Maybe it was because his depth perception was shot to hell, thanks to Pride.

But he did feel the rude tackle that propelled him out of the array. He turned... and his blood froze in his veins.

She was standing in the middle of the summoning circle, jacket gone, tight black shirt revealing the lean muscles that strained as she leveled the rifle at the rampaging female alchemist.

He shouted at her, his voice high-pitched with dread and adrenaline and horror. He asked her why she was doing this, silently pleading for her to move, to leave. She was always near him, holding some sort of firearm. Right now was no different. And like any other time, she only looked at him, but something strange glinted in her eyes. It was something he didn't recognize at first, because it was ludicrous that she of all people would ever look at him like that.

"Because I was born to protect you."

She said that before she pulled the trigger, nailing the enemy between the eyes.

She was safe. She was safe. By the high flames, she was _safe_.

And then he was scrambling to his feet as she lowered her sniper to regard her handiwork quizzically.

But then the array started to glow, a sick green light surrounded the place, and it took all of his strength to fling himself to the circle and press his hands on it, quelling the spell and bringing part of the damage onto his own body.

No please, no, he thought frantically as he poured all his energy into the counter spell.

The light exploded, and it faded just as quickly as it had appeared, leaving his eye unscathed to look up.

And then she was falling, falling onto the ground, hair loose, eyes closed, lips muttering his rank. His eye widened in horror as he launched forward, catching her hand as it was about to hit the floor.

"Riza!" he shouted, blood boiling inside. _I couldn't save her, I couldn't_--

She cracked open her eyes, if just fraction. "You're fine," she whispered, a trickle of blood spilling from her mouth. "I'm... glad..."

"Hawkeye, don't die, it's an order!" he barked as he tried to crawl to her. The array was gone, and suddenly Breda and Farman were there, and both Elric brothers were leaning over them, and Ed's sharp intake of breath was everything he could hear above the plummeting of his own heart.

He watched in horror how her eyes started to close.

But then a blinding blue light surrounded the both of them, the Colonel and his fallen First Lieutenant, but through the clear, shining blue he could easily see her body arching into life once more.

He couldn't let go of her hand, despite the pain that scattered across his own body.

He _wouldn't._

-X-

She woke up among fresh and warm sheets in a sterile hospital room.

Her head hurt for a moment as her eyes accustomed to the daylight streaming from the open window. She blinked, and sighed deeply, taking in as much air as possible.

And then she remembered. The circle, Mustang's horrified expression, the cold sweat of his palm when he clasped hers. She remembered the pain, the green light... and the Gate.

But the Gate closed before she could even approach to it. A steeled hand pounded it closed, as another kind of iron hand made some strange seals and kept it that way.

And then, very faintly, she could hear his voice in the darkness, calling for her relentlessly, calling _her name_.

Her eyes widened as the memories kicked in. She would have risen to a sitting position if it weren't for the tight bandages that were wrapped around her torso and arms. Pain lanced through her, proof enough that she was alive. Alive.

And then someone moved at her side, and a familiar face, those features that were engraved in her very soul, wandered into her vision field.

A _pair_ of onyx eyes looked at her intently, as a weak, relieved smile spread on thin lips.

She tried to speak, but a warm finger – alive, alive! – moved to prevent her from doing so.

"Don't," he spoke softly, almost reverently, as he helped her drink a glass of water. Afterwards, his other hand moved soundlessly, lifting her bandaged one--

And his eyes closed, both of them, in a grieving mask. Two hot tears rolled from his cheek to her fingers, their warmth spreading on her cold skin as they dampened it. Her breathing staggered, watching her superior.

"Ta..."

"I thought I had lost you," he whispered roughly as his fingertips ghosted over her hand. "When I saw you standing there, I thought..."

"Taisa," she breathed in a sigh, wincing when his hand closed over hers in a firm grasp.

"Riza," he said, voice composed again in its mask of commanding officer. "That was something for the books, but it was incredibly stupid. You could have died."

She nodded faintly, her pale lips twisting in a slight smile. "I know."

"For now on, you will remain by my side until I deem it so. You are indispensable for me, so I can't risk losing you. Besides, you have a dog to think of as well."

Riza closed her eyes, nodding again.

Watching her embrace Morpheus' arms once more, his eyes strayed to a plate of somewhat badly chopped apple slices for a moment before settling in her face. Recovery was a bitch and he knew she would fight tooth, bullets and nails to be released as soon as possible. He knew her like the back of his own gloved hand.

And yet, he knew that the fire of those auburn eyes was brighter with each day he spent with her.

He would fight for her, and cherish her in every way he could and she permitted.

But he couldn't shake away the icy, odd feeling that flooded her senses when he thought the worst.

Now he could understand why Edward and Alphonse were so adamant about finding all the information possible about the biological transmutations. The mere thought of losing Riza made him almost lose what remained of his sanity after Hughes, after Pride, after everything.

Roy Mustang now understood everything.

-

- _Tenna' ento lye omenta_ -

-XxX-

**A/N:** I almost made him go entirely blind, but I just couldn't do that to poor Roy. This is my protest to the end of the anime! Roy is too damn hot to play pirate.

Although, Roy in a pirate custom... -daydreams-

Merry Christmas, everybody! 8D


End file.
